1. Field of the Technology
The present application relates generally to updating application programs in memory of network devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, suitable wireless networking solutions have been developed for applications in home and building automation, industrial control, lighting control, sensors, detectors, consumer electronics, PC peripherals, medical sensors, and a variety of other specific applications. In such networks, there may be tens or even hundreds of wireless network devices which control and/or communicate with various device components (e.g. sensors, lights, etc.) and form nodes of the wireless network. These wireless network devices may be situated in a variety of different locations and difficult to access once deployed. Such wireless network devices may be added in or taken away from the wireless network at any given time.
Each wireless network device has a small microcontroller which operates the wireless network device in accordance with an application program stored in memory. When one or more deployed wireless network devices need to have their application program “upgraded” or modified (e.g. to add a feature, or to fix a perceived problem), questions arise as to how to effectively orchestrate and manage over-the-air download (OAD) procedures in the wireless network. For example, concerns arise regarding unduly overloading any single wireless network device with the task of sending the upgraded application program to many other wireless network devices. Concerns also arise regarding network interference during concurrent file transfer transactions. Further, memory in each wireless network device is typically small and therefore problems regarding memory handling when updating the upgraded application program may arise. Several other concerns exist.
Accordingly, what are needed are procedures which overcome deficiencies of conventional approaches.